Blind and Deaf
by Eriisu-April
Summary: Luffy finds himself a new crewmate, as strange as the rest, who refuses to join until his dreams are met. Luffy doesn't know what's in store for his nakama, but he knows it means a good adveture!
1. Prologue

In the darkness of the room, the figure smiled wickedly at the hourglass

In the darkness of the room, the figure smiled wickedly at the hourglass. I'm going to enjoy this, he thought blissfully. He grasped its wooden frame tightly, and with a passing thought that made him laugh he fluidly turned it on its head. He sat down to watch the grains slip away, the smile still on his face.

"Let the fun begin, my friend," he whispered tenderly. "Let the fun begin."


	2. A Beginning

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Stop, thief!"

"Stop him!"

The shadowed figure hopped to the top of a lamppost, above the light so as not to be seen, carrying the object he desired. He had wished to examine it better before he left, but time was not his ally tonight. A navy sailor ran beneath to the commanding officer and saluted him.

"Sir, we've finished searching the east district."

The general huffed in irritation.

"Then search the north port." He pointed to a group to their left. "You men search every dock and every shadow in the south port."

The officers saluted and rushed to their work. The shadow leapt over and behind his would be captors, and was off to his last assignment before he left this poor excuse for a naval town once and for good.

The guards looked in every tavern, inn, shop, and ship in port of the small town Aurelia. They ignored, however, the nobles and wealthy merchants that were passing through, and instead targeted the helpless poor and vagabonds; those who could never have had the opportunity to steal a priceless gem.

"Everyone in this town acts funny," the boy in a straw hat said to his navigator companion. The navigator crossed her arms and looked up at the night sky.

"I'll say; the docking registration is a bit much, don't you think?" Suddenly the girl's shirt was grabbed and she was yanked to a standstill.

"Oh, look, Nami!" the boy yelled in her ear. They had passed a street performer in strange clothes, who was juggling under a streetlamp while balancing on a big ball. Even from a distance anyone could see his deep tan and sun-bleached, bushy grey hair. There was a small crowd of children around the performer.

Straw Hat tugged on her shirt again, turning to her like an excited child.

"C'mon! Let's give him money!" he yelled.

She turned on him and crossed her arms in front of her face and answered, "No way!" before turning back around and walking on towards the lumber yard. The boy followed after her.

"What?! Why not?!"

"He's not getting my hard earned money! If he wants money then he can go out and work for it!" The boy gave her a pleading look.

"Please, Nami! I want to give him some!" Finally she relented, and with a sigh handed him a small portion of money.

"Here, Luffy, that's your share. Do what you want with it."

Luffy threw his arms up in the air with a grin on his face and yelled, "Yeah!! Thanks, Nami!!" He ran back to where the performer was with a spring in his step.

She called after him, "Hey, head back to the Merry Go when you're done!" Then she continued on her way.

Luffy ran back to where the juggler had been. He saw the man sitting behind the streetlamp, just out of the light, looking at something luminescent in his hands. Luffy knew it was him by his fluffy grey hair.

"Hey!" Luffy yelled. The man jerked his head up quickly, and upon seeing the boy he deftly tucked the glittering prize out of view. Luffy ran over and shoved the small bag of coins in his face. The man blinked, rather surprised, his eyes flicked between Luffy and the bag of gold and back again.

"Here! I got these for you!"

After a long moment of curious silence, the man stood up, and his features came into the light. Along with the fact he was taller than Luffy by about five inches -- enough that he had to look down to make eye contact with Luffy -- but he looked thin for his height. His ash-grey and red streaked hair seemed to contrast with his deeply tanned skin. His eyes were a subdued purple; the dwindling hues of dusk made them darken like sitting blood. Luffy grinned.

"Wow . . . You look cool!"

"I'm not a beggar," the man stated softly, ignoring the comment and pushing the pouch back to the rubber boy. Luffy frowned and shoved it back.

"I'm giving it to you. You keep it!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes!"

"No."

"Yes!"

After a while of pointless arguing, the man looked at Luffy, then sighed heavily before taking the berries.

"Did you want something?" he asked in a low, guarded voice. Luffy just looked up at him. The man shifted from one foot to the other. Finally he reached into his cloak and brought out four black spheres.

"Would you like me to show you how I did it?" Luffy looked at him blankly.

"How you did what?" The man couldn't help but sigh again. He tossed one of the balls to Luffy.

"Do you want me to show you how I juggle?" Luffy's mouth went wide and quite literally hit the ground. This intrigued the man and his eyes narrowed intently on him.

"You mean you can juggle too?! That's so cool!" The man brushed it off for now and started tossing the spheres into the air in great arcs.

"First, you must follow them with your eyes."


End file.
